Laser accident investigation to cut road closure times

Transport ministers have announced plans to introduce laser scanning of road traffic accident sites to cut motorway closure times during investigations.  

Currently, motorways are closed for an average of 43 minutes following an accident, with a total annual cost of £1 billion. Trials of laser scanning devices, which instantaneously record details of accidents currently measured manually, could reduce this to just 4 minutes.

Following trials by Humberside and Metropolitan police forces, the devices are now set to be rolled out nationally.